Cost of maintaining a modern Ferrari

[Dr. Kill]

Originally Posted by Perfectlap

think about it how many people here and on the 911 boards sign up to "eat" more than $30,000 of depreciation on their Pcars in a four year period.
If you are going to be "o.k." with that then coughing up $4,000-$6,000 for operation a prancing horse doesn't seem so outrageous to me.

I hear ya, but doesn't the story change if you drive your car every day?

I recognize that not all Pcar owners do, but I always thought of our cars as high-end production DDs while a Ferrari is more of an exotic for weekend and track activities. What is going to happen to your maintenance costs if you put 15k miles per year on the clock of the Ferrari fighting traffic?

I think we are talking about apples and oranges here.

I know there are plenty of people who only drive 911s on Sunday and treat them like they are priceless artifacts, but that doesn't put the car in the same league as a Ferrari for ownership comparative purposes. I also know guys who do the same thing with Mustangs.

[Perfectlap]

very true.
If I could drive a Ferrari every day to the Starbucks and Costco boy that would be something! And if I could afford to do so I would in a heart beat.

But generaly speaking I think most Pcar owners do not drive their cars every day.
of course I have absolutely no data to back this up.
Assuming I'm correct most Pcar owners and Porsche owner are still not in the same ball park because Ferraris are usually sold to second and third owners with very very low miles. But so are tons of Porsches.

If this is going to be just a toy you sell every two years I don't think I see a heck of big difference between owning a $90K Porsche or a modern Ferrari.
Both are money pits just one gets 1000% more excitement from the driver and onlookers.

[Dr. Kill]

Originally Posted by Perfectlap

very true.
If I could drive a Ferrari every day to the Starbucks and Costco boy that would be something! And if I could afford to do so I would in a heart beat.

But generaly speaking I think most Pcar owners do not drive their cars every day.
of course I have absolutely no data to back this up.
Assuming I'm correct most Pcar owners and Porsche owner are still not in the same ball park because Ferraris are usually sold to second and third owners with very very low miles. But so are tons of Porsches.

If this is going to be just a toy you sell every two years I don't think I see a heck of big difference between owning a $90K Porsche or a modern Ferrari.
Both are money pits just one gets 1000% more excitement from the driver and onlookers.

See it's crap like that that will allow me to talk myself into buying a Ferrari! Maybe I should give up on the Box and buy an Accord for M-Thurs and a Testarossa for Fri-Sun. My wife will love this idea...

[Perfectlap]

do it!! just tell your wife Perfectlap said it was ok.

here's a cream puff. All you have to do is take out a 2nd mortgage on the house, no biggie. Any RATIONAL and SYMPATHETIC woman would totally agree.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2005-Ferrari-F430-Coupe-F1-Loaded-L-K_W0QQitemZ110072268193QQihZ001QQcategoryZ6212QQrd Z1QQcmdZViewItem

yikes these things are expensive! $500 a mile???

assuming that F1 F430 sells for $200K and you financed it over SEVEN years your monthly payments would be a mere $2400 a month.
Which makes the $1500 5K service bill all that more of a bargain. Peanuts...

[Dr. Kill]

Nice! There is even a button that says "get low monthly payments."

[Perfectlap]

This whole thing only convinces me that a 2nd hand 911 Turbo really is an amazing bargain. You can park that thing next to any Ferrari (well maybe not the Enzo) and no one would laugh at you. And at the track no one is going to laugh at you lap times either.

These Porsche dudes in Germany may be real arrogant SOB's but they know what they are doing and have the numbers to back it up.

[jeffsquire]

Originally Posted by Perfectlap

This whole thing only convinces me that a 2nd hand 911 Turbo really is an amazing bargain. You can park that thing next to any Ferrari (well maybe not the Enzo) and no one would laugh at you. And at the track no one is going to laugh at you lap times either.

These Porsche dudes in Germany may be real arrogant SOB's but they know what they are doing and have the numbers to back it up.

________________
according to the Porsche website the 911s need only be serviced at intervals of 20k. Isnt that a hell of a lot less expensive than the Ferraris?

[drburton]

I have been working under the assumption I will pull the trigger on a 911 in a couple of years but a used ferrari has to be a consideration. Those maintenance costs don't seem that horrible to me. My Boxster is not a daily driver and my next sports car won't be either.

Like I mentioned in the earlier post a mid 90's F355 can be had for $70-$80k. Can't even get into a well optioned 911 for that (new). Even most used 997's are over that range. Something to consider.

911 or F355? Hmmm

[UroTrash]

Guys, a typical clutch is in the $7000 range. So no burn outs OK?

The craziest cost that I have seen, and seems to be substantiated is the cost to replace the auto transmission in a 456 GTA.

The transmission is about $75,000. That's right, $75 biggies, more than half the price of the cars currently. ($60k for the part, 15k for labor.)

And the crazy part is it apparently is some variation of a GM transmission.

http://ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?p=136023992#post136023992

[Rail26]

Originally Posted by Perfectlap

But generaly speaking I think most Pcar owners do not drive their cars every day.
of course I have absolutely no data to back this up.

I wonder if this is true? My Box is a daily driver and I don't know why other people don't use there car as a daily driver (except for the obvious fact of kids, etc). It gets great gas mileage, is comfortable, looks good and is fun to drive. I don't care about racking up the mileage because I bought the car to drive...not to sit in the garage trying to "protect" my investment (worst investment in the world).

My rule for any car I will buy is it has to be a daily driver.

[z12358]

Originally Posted by Rail26

My rule for any car I will buy is it has to be a daily driver.

I only drive for leisure and on weekends so can't speak for people who have to drive to work during the week, but I can see how one could have a different car for a different purpose and conditions. There are plenty of congested metro areas with bad roads, hellish commutes in stop-and-go traffic. I don't think it's a matter of mileage or wear and tear, it just plain doesn't make sense to be driving a high-performance roadster (with a stick shift, no less) in such conditions. Moreover, it makes sense to associate the roadster with fun and joy (like a twisty road on a weekend) and disassociate it from stress, congestion, and hurry. It's a different feeling when you sit in your joy car for your joy ride, and not in the same seat in which you cursed and sweated just yesterday while stuck in traffic on your way home from work.

So I don't think this is a matter of some people being obsessively concerned about their cars, while others (daily drivers) not. My guess is that if most people here lived in an idylic country setting, driving to work on beautiful, uncongested, country roads, they would indeed use their roadsters as daily drivers.

Finally, why ever impose such "image" rules on yourself?

Z.

[Dr. Kill]

Originally Posted by z12358

I only drive for leisure and on weekends so can't speak for people who have to drive to work during the week, but I can see how one could have a different car for a different purpose and conditions. There are plenty of congested metro areas with bad roads, hellish commutes in stop-and-go traffic. I don't think it's a matter of mileage or wear and tear, it just plain doesn't make sense to be driving a high-performance roadster (with a stick shift, no less) in such conditions. Moreover, it makes sense to associate the roadster with fun and joy (like a twisty road on a weekend) and disassociate it from stress, congestion, and hurry. It's a different feeling when you sit in your joy car for your joy ride, and not in the same seat in which you cursed and sweated just yesterday while stuck in traffic on your way home from work.
Z.

I understand what you are saying, but the other side of it is, when I have a long and stressful day at work at a client location, often the best part of my day is that commute in my Boxster. I am always looking for twisty backroads that, although may lengthen my trip to and from work, I can fit some “me” time in there during an otherwise potentially boring task of commuting. I can’t count how many nights I have shuffled out of an office building completely drained, only to have a big smile put on my face when I see my car.

When I first got the Box, I kept another car for DD purposes – nice car, an Acura CL Type S, but every day when I was driving it, I wished I was in the Porsche. So I wound up just selling it.

I hear you about the inner-city driving. I certainly don’t live in an idyllic country setting, but if I have to go to Manhattan, I take the train, but otherwise, Jersey, upstate New York, Long Island, I’m taking my car, and I am enjoying it – every day.

[z12358]

Originally Posted by Dr. Kill

I understand what you are saying, but the other side of it is, when I have a long and stressful day at work at a client location, often the best part of my day is that commute in my Boxster. I am always looking for twisty backroads that, although may lengthen my trip to and from work, I can fit some “me” time in there during an otherwise potentially boring task of commuting. I can’t count how many nights I have shuffled out of an office building completely drained, only to have a big smile put on my face when I see my car.

When I first got the Box, I kept another car for DD purposes – nice car, an Acura CL Type S, but every day when I was driving it, I wished I was in the Porsche. So I wound up just selling it.

I hear you about the inner-city driving. I certainly don’t live in an idyllic country setting, but if I have to go to Manhattan, I take the train, but otherwise, Jersey, upstate New York, Long Island, I’m taking my car, and I am enjoying it – every day.

Glad we're in agreement. That was exactly my point. To the extent that the conditions allow for that big smile, the Box should be used as often as possible. Not everyone has the option to take the "twisty backroads" on their way from work.

Z.

[orange260z]

Originally Posted by Dr. Kill

I understand what you are saying, but the other side of it is, when I have a long and stressful day at work at a client location, often the best part of my day is that commute in my Boxster. I am always looking for twisty backroads that, although may lengthen my trip to and from work, I can fit some “me” time in there during an otherwise potentially boring task of commuting. I can’t count how many nights I have shuffled out of an office building completely drained, only to have a big smile put on my face when I see my car.

When I first got the Box, I kept another car for DD purposes – nice car, an Acura CL Type S, but every day when I was driving it, I wished I was in the Porsche. So I wound up just selling it.

I hear you on this. I bought my '01 Box with 11K miles on it this past summer, and wanted a Tip particularly so that it didn't become a weekend car for me (I have arthritis in my knees). Although I kept my other car (a pristine '01 IS300) out all summer, I can count on my two hands the number of times I used it. This coming summer, I will put the IS away and use the Box as a DD.

It's difficult sometimes to accept the wear and tear on it - it's Lapis Blue and shows scratches easily, and the interior tends to get a little beat if you are getting in and out regularly - but at least I am "getting my money's worth" and enjoyment out of the car!!!

[Franco]

I would be surprised that people able of owning a FERRARI are concerned about how much their oil change is going to cost them, that's more of a BOXSTER owner dilemma. That explains some comments here

Jealousy invites misery so if u can't afford a Ferrari go get a Ford or some derivative of that and join a Fix Or Repair Daily Forum

Happy New Year To All U Guys and Your Families

[Dr. Kill]

Originally Posted by Rail26

I wonder if this is true? My Box is a daily driver and I don't know why other people don't use there car as a daily driver (except for the obvious fact of kids, etc). It gets great gas mileage, is comfortable, looks good and is fun to drive. I don't care about racking up the mileage because I bought the car to drive...not to sit in the garage trying to "protect" my investment (worst investment in the world).

My rule for any car I will buy is it has to be a daily driver.

Yep, I'm with you. This car is performance art, not sculpture.

[jeffsquire]

Originally Posted by Rail26

I wonder if this is true? My Box is a daily driver and I don't know why other people don't use there car as a daily driver (except for the obvious fact of kids, etc). It gets great gas mileage, is comfortable, looks good and is fun to drive. I don't care about racking up the mileage because I bought the car to drive...not to sit in the garage trying to "protect" my investment (worst investment in the world).

My rule for any car I will buy is it has to be a daily driver.

_______________________________
Well spoken. Here here!! Another reason why we didnt "box" the Boxster up for winter here. Drove it 80 miles yesterday. No snow for the past few weeks. Had the top down in 40 degree weather last week. :dance:

[Chills]

Originally Posted by Rail26

I wonder if this is true? My Box is a daily driver and I don't know why other people don't use there car as a daily driver (except for the obvious fact of kids, etc). It gets great gas mileage, is comfortable, looks good and is fun to drive. I don't care about racking up the mileage because I bought the car to drive...not to sit in the garage trying to "protect" my investment (worst investment in the world).

My rule for any car I will buy is it has to be a daily driver.

I couldn't agree more. I bought my Boxster to drive it, not to sit and look at it in my garage. It is my only car and I drive it everyday. I'll soon have a back up car for the days when Chicago weather isn't at it's best, though.

I know many of the Pcar owners here in Naperville drive their's on a daily basis. At the train station I see a yellow late model Carrera and a black mid-90's 911 everyday in the parking lot.

[drburton]

Some of us have good reason not to drive the car daily, and it's not so the car can be a 'garage queen'

My boxster is our third car and I drop off the kids at school every morning then park at a train station. Kids don't fit in the boxster, and I don't really want to leave it at the train station. Not to mention the Touareg is a more comfortable ride for commuting purposes in traffic.

Also, to the point made earlier, since I'm not commuting in the car I really enjoy the moments I have to drive it - no destination, just a great way to unwind.

[denverpete]

Personally, I drive mine every day there isn't snow on the road. Sure there are days stuck in traffic when I wish I had an automatic, but most days I can't wait to jump in for my commute home. No twisties or anything - just enjoying the car. It's why I bought it. As to those who use it for weekends or occasions - good for you. That's probably why YOU bought it.

Now, as to the 355. I'm certainly no expert, but I've seen quoted 0-60 times of around 5.3 seconds. Nice car, and it's a Ferrari, but it'd get it's clocked cleaned by a 2006 Boxster S. So, in the end you'd just be paying for prestige. Now the 360 is a whole 'nother story....